From: European Union
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Rapporteur: Laura Ferrara
MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
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Organised crime and terrorism
70. Recalls that the growing convergence and nexus between organised crime and terrorism, as well as the links between criminal and terrorist organisations, constitute an increased threat to the Union; calls on the Member States to ensure that the financing and support of terrorism by means of organised crime is made punishable and that the interlinking of organised crime and terrorist activities and terrorist financing are more explicitly taken into account by the authorities of the Member States involved in criminal proceedings;
71. Stresses that illicit trade in firearms, oil, drugs and wildlife, and smuggling of migrants, cigarettes and counterfeit goods, artworks and other cultural objects by organised crime networks have become very lucrative ways for terrorist groups to obtain funding; takes note of the presentation by the Commission of an action plan against illicit trafficking in, and use of, firearms and explosives; insists on the need to implement this action plan without delay; calls on the Member States to take the necessary measures, while avoiding undue administrative burdens for economic actors, to ensure that terrorist organisations and criminal networks may not benefit from any trading in goods;
72. Points out that participation in criminal activities may be linked to terrorist crimes; recalls that, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug trafficking, the movement of illegal firearms, transnational organised crime and money laundering have become an integral part of terrorism; believes that if the fight against terrorism is to be effective, EU legislation on combating organised crime and money-laundering needs to be strengthened, also in view of the existing links between terrorist and organised criminal groups, based on mutual benefit;
